This invention relates to building products and, more particularly, to clipless interlocking wall cladding.
There are various conventional methods of cladding exterior building walls with esthetically pleasing fascia. The use of metal composite material (MCM) panel systems for exterior building facades are known in the prior art. Such MCM panels are typically made from two sheets of metal material bonded to a thermoplastic core. The metal material, or skin, can be made of any type metal sheet or decorative plating of zinc, copper, steel, titanium, and the like. MCM panels are strong and lightweight and can be applied to new building facings or during remodeling of an existing structure. MCM panels can be fabricated to conform to very complex and intricate building wall designs. Individual wall panels are mounted on extruded aluminum frame members and attached to the underlying building substructure with fasteners in a grid-like pattern. This is a time-consuming process because various sized panels are required to complete an installation.
It would be economically advantageous if the cost of such panels and the installation time could be reduced and the use of extruded frame members could be eliminated.